Snare ban in Wales passes final Senedd vote
Animal welfare charities have welcomed the banning of snares.
Members of the Senedd have passed the Agriculture (Wales) Bill, which will make Wales the first country in the UK to ban the use of snares and glue traps.
The bill, which covers a range of issues around farming and the environment, was voted through on Tuesday, 27 June, with 55 MSs voting for the legislation, and none against.
After it receives Royal Assent, the legislation is expected to come into force later this summer.
Snares, which are used to catch animals such as foxes, rabbits and brown hares, have faced widespread criticism for causing suffering to the trapped animal, and there have been cases of pets being seriously injured and killed by them. Glue traps, which are used for smaller animals, have faced similar criticism.
Following the Senedd vote, Wales’ rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths said: “A complete ban on the inhumane use of glue traps and snares is included in the bill and means we will become the first nation in the UK to introduce such a ban.
“It also amends the Forestry Act 1967 providing powers to better protect wildlife and the environment during felling operations.
“I want to thank everyone who has worked with us on developing the bill, their input has been invaluable to ensure it recognises and supports Welsh priorities.”
The move to ban snares and glue traps has been welcomed by animal welfare charities, who have campaigned for a ban.
Will Morton, head of public affairs at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The Welsh government deserves huge credit for banning snares, inherently inhumane traps, which are completely incompatible with high animal welfare standards.
“Wales is leading the way in protecting wildlife from cruelty and we’re calling on the UK and Scottish Governments to follow their lead and ban these brutal devices.”
Calls for England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to introduce a ban have so far been less successful.
A petition for the UK Government to make the use of snares illegal received more than 100,000 signatures last year, resulting in a parliamentary debate on the topic in January 2023. As part of its Action Plan for Animal Welfare, launched in May 2023, the UK Government has said that it plans to launch a call for evidence on the use of snares.
The Scottish government has recently introduced the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill, which will ban the use of glue traps for rodents and tighten regulations for other wildlife traps. A ban on snaring is being considered.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
